inveterate

[ in-vet-er-it ]
See synonyms for inveterate on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. settled or confirmed in a habit, practice, feeling, or the like: an inveterate gambler.

  2. firmly established by long continuance, as a disease, habit, practice, feeling, etc.; chronic.

Origin of inveterate

1
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin inveterātus (past participle of inveterāre “to grow old, allow to grow old, preserve”), equivalent to in- in-2 + veter- (stem of vetus “old”) + -ātus -ate1; cf. veteran

Other words for inveterate

Other words from inveterate

  • in·vet·er·ate·ly, adverb
  • in·vet·er·ate·ness, noun

Words Nearby inveterate

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How to use inveterate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for inveterate

inveterate

/ (ɪnˈvɛtərɪt) /


adjective
  1. long established, esp so as to be deep-rooted or ingrained: an inveterate feeling of hostility

  2. (prenominal) settled or confirmed in a habit or practice, esp a bad one; hardened: an inveterate smoker

  1. obsolete full of hatred; hostile

Origin of inveterate

1
C16: from Latin inveterātus of long standing, from inveterāre to make old, from in- ² + vetus old

Derived forms of inveterate

  • inveteracy or inveterateness, noun
  • inveterately, adverb

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